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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · deal · present · calf · date · hide · sharp · foot

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. foot — a measure
  4. present — a gift
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. present — the time now
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. present — there
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. sharp — clever
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. date — the fruit
  21. file — a document
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com